The Internet has emerged as a powerful advertising tool. It is commonplace to see advertisements on many web sites. For example, advertisements may be displayed on search web sites and may be targeted to individuals based upon search terms provided by the individuals. Other web sites, such as news and sports web sites, may provide space for advertisements. The owners of these web sites may sell advertising space to advertisers to offset the costs associated with operating the web sites as well as to turn a profit.
However, submitting advertisements through existing systems can be a time consuming process. These systems typically require an advertiser to associate a given advertisement with key words, such as search terms; properties, such as a specific web site or web site that caters to a specific audience; a position, such as the top or bottom of a web page; etc. Advertisers may have to bid to have their advertisements displayed, for example, in response to a search request. The advertisement placement process can be overwhelming for an unsophisticated advertiser who is primarily interested in advertising locally, such as a local grocer or an auto mechanic.